The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) have lifted the ban on non-essential travel to North Carolina that stemmed from the bathroom law signed by Gov. Pat McCrory last month.
In a statement, the MnSCU, composed of 30 community and technical colleges and seven state universities, said with the recent move by the U.S. Department of Justice, "Minnesota State Colleges and Universities have lifted their ban on travel to North Carolina."
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton banned all non-essential travel to North Carolina on April 2, citing the enacted Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act that he said "blocks local governments from passing anti-discrimination rules to grant protections to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women and men."
Following the move, the MnSCU presidents implemented a similar travel ban for state colleges and universities.
Last May 4, the Justice Department told North Carolina that House Bill 2 violates the U.S. Civil Rights Act and Title IX, and asked that the law should not be implemented.
"In light of the intervention from the U.S. Justice Department, the presidents of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities are confident that the deplorable discrimination embedded in North Carolina's legislation is being addressed," the MnSCU said.
North Carolina could lose federal education funding if the law is implemented. For 2014-2015, the University of North Carolina system received $1.4 billion in funding, The Charlotte Observer reports.
The Justice Department has given North Carolina until Monday to resolve the issue.
In response, Gov. McCrory said, "The Obama administration has not only staked out its position for North Carolina, but for all states, universities and most employers in the U.S."
He added that "the right and expectation of privacy in one of the most private areas of our personal lives is now in jeopardy. We will be reviewing to determine the next steps."
Republican lawmakers in North Carolina criticised the Justice Department and President Obama.
House Speaker Tim Moore described the letter as "a huge overreach (by) the federal government."
Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger called the decision "a gross overreach."
"The DOJ should be ashamed of itself for bullying North Carolinians, compromising the privacy and safety of our citizens, and spreading lies about what the clear language of Title IX and Title VII state," the North Carolina Values Coalition said.
